This morning I installed the
laptop/map/notebook carrier in the runabout. I
should have done it before today, because I
had to make some changes in it to make it fit.
I unwrapped the new rear tires and set them on
the garage roof to warm up in the sun. I think
it was about 1:00 PM when I started to install
them. It's alarming how much I've gone
downhill in a year. During last year's
September trip I made three tire changes, and
they were not terribly difficult. Today just
mounting a couple of tires was an exasperating
ordeal. Being so weak, especially in the knees
and ankles, made just getting up off the floor
a major project. The first tire was struggle
enough, but the second wore me out. When I
finally got it on the wheel I started to air
it up and the tube popped. Did I damage it
when I pried the tire onto the rim, or had it
sat on the shelf for too many years? I don't
know. I got another tube off the shelf, put it
in the tire, and pried the tire onto the rim.
This one didn't pop. It just leaked. So again
I took the tire off the wheel, pulled out the
tube, and had a look. There was a small hole.
I patched it, put it back in the tire, and
pried the tire onto them rim. This time it
held air until I got it up to near 65 psi,
then it blew out with a bang and the escaping
air blew my glasses off. I was undamaged, but
the tube was a total loss. When I got the tire
off and pulled out the tube I found that it
had split where I patched the hole. So again I
got a tube off the shelf, put it in the tire,
mounted the tire, and aired it up. This time
the tube popped at fairly low pressure. By the
time I got the tire off the wheel again it was
quitting time and I was exhausted. After
dinner I watched the News Hour and the Friday
evening blather shows, then came back to the
shop and attacked the tire project again. I
was down to the last tube on the shelf, a
rubber-stemmed Hartford. I was not about to
take the time to install a metal stem. I'll
just grit my teeth and live with then shame
and disgrace of having a rubber stem in one of
my wheels. I struggled the tire onto the rim
very carefully to avoid damaging the tube, and
this time I aired it up to 70 psi and it held.
I'll check the pressures tomorrow and see how
all four tubes are holding. Meanwhile, there
is the drama of the new camera. Yesterday the
USPS tracking page said it would be delivered
today. It wasn't. This evening the tracking
page said it arrived at the local post office
this afternoon at 4:35 PM, so it should be in
my mail box tomorrow afternoon. I plan to
spend the day getting ready to travel, and
hope I'll be ready to head east early Sunday
morning.
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At least this didn't explode.
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